Dearest Adar
by Snowy the Sane Fangirl
Summary: After the War of the Ring, Arwen writes letters to be delivered to her father. Written for the November 2013 Teitho challenge "Letters" where it did not place.


Dearest Adar

Disclaimer: _The Lord of the Rings _does not belong to me. John and Abigail Adams also do not belong to me.

Rating: PG, for mentions of death

Characters: Arwen, Elrond, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Elladan, Elrohir, Celebrían, Eldarion

Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Family

Book-verse, but it doesn't really matter.

A/N: Please be aware, to prevent confusion, that there are five letters included here. The first and last two are addressed to Elrond, while the third is actually addressed to Celebrían, Arwen's mother.

Elvish:

Ada: Daddy

Adar: Father

Námarië: Farewell

Naneth: Mother

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

~ Hebrews 11:1

Dearest Adar,

Nearly ten years have passed since you left Middle-earth and travelled to the Undying Lands beyond the Sea. Since that time, much has happened. The War of the Ring is now but a distant memory in the minds of Men and Dwarves. Elves also are putting it behind them, though our memories are the longest of the Free Peoples'. Many of our people have gone to live in Ithilien, led my Legolas of the Greenwood. I greatly enjoy spending time there with my kin, though of course as Queen of Gondor and Arnor I have duties.

Now that the two Kingdoms have been reunited, nearly all enmity and fear between the Men in the North and those of the South has dissolved. Of course this took time, but after the trade routes reopened it all but vanished. Our friendship with Rohan has been reaffirmed and treaties have been signed with almost all of Harad and the Eastern countries. The people are largely content. Aragorn assumed the throne peacefully and smoothly.

Sometimes it seems to me that Aragorn wishes for his old life as a Ranger of the Dúnedain. Certainly this life is different from what he is used to, though he handles it well enough. He is a good ruler, kind and just, but he has never been comfortable with cities. Elladan once told me that even as a child he spent as much time as he could out of doors. But he is fast becoming accustomed to living in the White City, and for the most part we are both happy.

For the most part. I never seem to recall you fighting at all with Naneth. Was it simply that you never did it where I could hear, or are Elven relationships as a rule more harmonious than those of Men? Most of the conflicts between Aragorn and myself are trivial, but I always fear some more serious fight will arise. I can only trust that our disagreements cannot tear us apart, as even during the worst of our clashes I love him still.

Circumstances bring Elladan and Elrohir often to Minas Tirith. I am glad of this. Though we never speak of it, I know they must soon succumb to the call of the Sea and follow you. I treasure all our times together. When they leave, the last of my close kin will be gone from Middle-earth.

I very much hope that you someday receive this letter. Legolas has declared his intention to remain in Middle-earth until the death of Aragorn. He has agreed to carry this message, and any others I may write, across the Sea with him when that time arrives. I pray it will be no short while.

Of all the things that grieve me, the fact that I shall never again see you causes the most pain. Yet even Elvenkind know naught of the fate of Men after their time in Middle-earth ends. It is possible that we may yet meet again beyond this world. I pray fervently that this is the case.

With my love, now and always, námarië,

Arwen

Dearest Adar,

It has been a number of years since my first letter. My life still overflows with the same joy as has stayed with me since I wedded my beloved Aragorn. And if the War was a distant memory when last I wrote you, it is all but forgotten now. There have been no major battles and little unrest for nearly three years, and peace reigns over the land. And on this, happiest of days, I am filled with more joy even than usual, of rI have just been given wonderful news. I am with child!

I know little more than this, nor what such a pregnancy may entail, but I do know that the prospect of a life growing within me is a wonderful one. I rejoice in the anticipation of raising this baby.

I have not yet told Aragorn. The healer's best guess is that I am roughly six weeks pregnant. Apparently, among the daughters of Men, complications are less likely to arise after three months have passed, and I do not wish for him to know until that time is fulfilled. Though as one of the Elvenkind myself I doubt I shall experience the troubles the healers of Men expect, I fear he would still worry unnecessarily for me and our child. It would distract him. Indeed, no one save myself and the Master of the Houses of Healing know of my child as of the time of this letter.

This morning I stood on the wall and looked across the Pelennor Fields to the River Anduin and beyond. I wondered if I felt this world will be a safe place to raise a child. And I thought that though the world is safer since the War ended, not all evils were in league with Sauron, and even those that were are not yet completely eradicated. Yet I still believe that Aragorn and I can bring our offspring up well here. So many are fighting to make Middle-earth safer still, and among them are five close to my heart: my dearest Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli the Dwarf, and my brothers. I will feel confident bringing up a child with them to keep him safe and teach him to protect himself.

I miss you greatly, Adar, as well as Naneth and my grandparents. Please give them my love and respects,

Námarië,

Arwen

Dearest Naneth,

It has been so long since we last saw one another, and now we never shall again. On some days my heart longs for you until I feel it will break. I know you are happy, yet I grieve that our time together was cut short.

In particular one thing bothers me; you never quite managed to instruct me on how to be a mother. My young son, Eldarion, oh, I love him so much, but he does know how to make mischief. Sometimes it is difficult to make him understand why he must be disciplined. And I do not believe I shall ever understand why all young boys have such a propensity for trouble.

My husband Aragorn does not help much in this particular regard. He is something of a handful himself when he becomes playful, and has begun to teach Eldarion skills he learned as a Ranger. The lad's Elvish blood only amplifies these abilities, and thus he can move with great stealth and speed when he wishes.

Yet it is such a blessing to have them. I often wish you and Adar could have met Eldarion; you would have loved him. And now I am reminded that you have never met Aragorn either, as you left Middle-earth long before he was born. I believe you would have loved him also. Adar, no doubt has told you of him, as he was raised in Imladris for a time as the foster son of Adar. He also led the armies of the Free Peoples to victory during the War of the Ring.

As I said before, I miss you greatly and wish more than anything that we might meet again. But rest assured that I am quite happy with my lot in life. I pray that joy also follows you wherever you may go.

Know that you are always in my heart,

Arwen

Dearest Adar,

It has been several years since my last letter to you. My son Eldarion has grown so fast, and as he grows he keeps me occupied and leaves me little free time.

He is now almost twenty years of age and quite a strong young man. Though the mischievous streak of his youth has not left him, he is well-versed in the ways of the law, and will make a good ruler when his time comes. He is skilled with both sword and bow and is a great warrior, though I do not believe he will have much need of those skills, thankfully. The days of peace have been long and many, and look to remain for many years to come.

Yet I am beginning to see signs of the time that has passed. Only a few days ago I was speaking with the Steward Faramir and I notices his age. Though he still is strong, he is no longer young. I have noticed no such thing in Aragorn but this does not surprise me. Because of his blood, he ages more slowly than Faramir, who is himself more long-lived than other Men. But for the first time I have discovered that I fear this: living on, unchanged, while everyone I love withers and dies, for I know I shall live longer than even Aragorn because of my Elven blood. But even now the fulfillment of these fears seems so far away. At times, I almost feel as though I am one of the daughters of Men.

But when I am reminded that I am not, then I miss you, Adar, and Naneth more than ever. Yet I am certain that my love for you can cross even such distances as now separate us.

Námarië,

Arwen

Dearest Adar,

Many, many years have come and gone since I penned my last letter to you. My joy during these years was great. As well as Eldarion, I bore two more children, both girls, whom we named Alassëa and Adanessa. They are women now, beautiful and wise. The days of my joy passes swiftly and wonderfully, but now they are over.

My beloved Aragorn passed his crown to Eldarion at last, and has departed from this life, which holds little joy for me now. But I do not yet feel it is time for me to follow him. I shall travel to Lothlorien and linger there until my time comes. However, in the meantime, Legolas is making ready to sail, and with him and Gimli I shall send these letters. Thus, I must be brief.

I want you to know that though I am weighed down with grief, I do not regret my choice. The joy and love I experienced with my husband and children is worth any death. And beyond the confines of the world I feel certain that I shall meet Aragorn again. And when the world ends - who knows? Perhaps we may meet once more when time is no more.

In the Elvish languages, there is always some understanding that no matter what separates two people, they will always meet again. Thus, we have no word for farewell that expresses the sense of finality I fear I must now employ. I shall use the word that Men use most ofter, for am I not now one of them in the way that matters most? Though I hope otherwise, I do not think I really believe we shall ever meet again. And yet hope is what bore us through the War, is it not? And hope is what led us to keep fighting before, until Morgoth was driven out of this land. Hope shall carry me now, into that which lies beyond the world.

Goodbye, dearest Ada,

Arwen


End file.
